Sunday Habits That Jump-Start Job Success All Week Long

Stephanie Booth

June 20, 2016

It’s hard not to resent Mondays.

Even if you love your job, the angst of having to go back to the grind can leave you disorganized and spinning your wheels all day, explains Richard Citrin, Ph.D., MBA, an organizational and consulting psychologist and author of "The Resilience Advantage." Then you have to spend the rest of the week playing catch up.

But while Monday is going to happen whether you like it or not, that lack of productivity doesn’t have to. The key is to adopt a few smart habits on Sunday so you set yourself up for a brighter, more efficient workweek without really cutting into your weekend R&R time. These tips will help you do just that.

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Steal an Hour to Get Organized

Whipping out the calendar app on your phone or tablet while you’re enjoying a sports marathon on TV is probably not how you planned to spend Sunday. But trust us, it’ll pay off.

“Taking no more than an hour out from your Sunday to anticipate the week ahead and get organized will help you free up head space and reduce worry,” says Christine M. Allen, Ph.D., a psychologist, executive and coach. Check your calendar, email a note to a coworker or yourself and make a to-do list prioritizing tasks you expect to come in first thing in the a.m.

And if you really want a happier Sunday to set you up for Monday, try knocking out annoying chores earlier in the day rather than waiting until the last minute. You know the ones: doing that load of laundry, prepping for next week's meals or laying out your work clothes so you aren't tearing through your closet desperately looking for something decent to wear. Tackle them ahead of time, and you can coast through the rest of the weekend.

Fill Your Plate With Healthy Food

Do your feasting on Friday and Saturday, as an indulgent Sunday brunch or dinner can make Monday stress worse. Consuming rich, heavy food and alcohol on Sunday will sink you into a food coma that can leave you lethargic on Monday morning, explains Debra Nessel, RDN, CDE, a registered dietitian with Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California.

Aim for three balanced, delicious meals on Sunday, each containing lean protein and complex carbs to give you steady energy and lots of high-fiber fruits and vegetables to aid digestion and leave you feeling full. Remember to skip the cocktails or brew and fill your glass with plenty of water. Alcohol is dehydrating, and that brings on the mental fog and sluggishness that intensifies stress.

Add Meaning to the Day

No judgment if your preferred way of spending Sunday afternoon is sacked out on the couch binge-watching "The Americans." But making your Mondays brighter might come down to designating Sunday as the day you do something active that’s personally fulfilling—such as going on a nature hike or walking shelter dogs.

We all have things we have to get done over the weekend, but there’s something to be said for making time for activities that are consistent with your values and connect you to the people you love, says Allen. Scheduling a yoga session with friends or volunteering in your community, for example, lends meaning to the day and resets your mental and spiritual batteries, so you’ll go into Monday feeling accomplished and inspired.

Concentrate on the Positive

A rough commute, crabby coworkers, stale coffee — the start of the workweek can bring on an endless round of small miseries. It can be easy to get in the habit of dreading Monday, anticipating what the morning will bring. Instead, focus on the positive things that can happen when you get back in the office. Maybe you'll have the opportunity to blow away new clients with fresh ideas or at least get caught up on weekend gossip.

If the problem is that, in general, you're not loving your work these days, spend some time on Sunday thinking about what could help you enjoy your work more. Try recalling those days when you looked forward to your job and all the hard work it took to move up the ladder. For many people, those early days were a high time in their career. Says Citrin: “Ask yourself, what’s changed since you had that feeling? What can you do differently now to help you recapture it?”

Your Monday hate might cue you to stretch your boundaries and take on different assignments — or it may mean it's time to put out feelers for something new, says Citrin. Until then, focus on the good things, such as the salary, the occasional chance to travel or the officemates who never fail to crack you up.

Have Some Old-School Fun

Pull out the Monopoly board, invite friends over for poker or suggest a game of H-O-R-S-E with your kids. Games, hobbies and creative activities “stimulate creative thinking, encourage single-tasking, clear your mind and improve your confidence,” explains Maura Thomas, founder of RegainYourTime.com and author of "Personal Productivity Secrets." Playing computer games, sports and other activities that promote fun are also linked to improved creativity, according to a study published in Research in Organizational Behavior.

If you want to start Monday morning feeling fresh and inspired, these are qualities you want primed. “There’s no specific amount of time you should play,” says Thomas. The point is to not work on weekends and simply use this time to engage different parts of your brain but approach it like fun, she adds.

Set Yourself Up for Quality Sleep

A good night’s rest on Sunday is the best way to dodge the madness of Monday; it helps you handle stress, puts you in a more optimistic, can-do mood and leaves you feeling alert and energized, ready to tackle the start of the week rather than retreat under the covers.

To prep for the shuteye you need on Sunday, try eating healthy, not-heavy meals and finishing your last meal two-and-a-half hours before you plan on turning in so the digestive process is underway, says Michael Breus, Ph.D., a sleep specialist and author of "The Power of When."

Other tips include getting in a decent amount of physical activity on Sunday. "There is data to show that daily exercise does help with improving sleep quality," says Breus, who recommends getting at least 20 minutes of heartbeat-raising movement. And make alcohol off-limits before bedtime, as it can lead to fitful sleep, affirms one 2015 study.

LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of LearnVest, Inc., that provides financial plans for its clients. Information shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment, legal or tax planning advice. Unless specifically identified as such, the individuals interviewed or otherwise listed in this piece are neither clients, employees nor affiliates of LearnVest Planning Services and the views expressed are their own. Please consult a financial adviser, attorney or tax specialist for advice specific to your financial situation. LearnVest Planning Services and any third parties listed, linked to or otherwise appearing in this message are separate and unaffiliated and are not responsible for each other’s products, services or policies. LearnVest, Inc., is wholly owned by NM Planning, LLC, a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

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LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of LearnVest, Inc. that provides financial plans for its clients. Information shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Please consult a financial adviser for advice specific to your financial situation. LearnVest Planning Services and any third-parties listed, discussed, identified or otherwise appearing herein are separate and unaffiliated and are not responsible for each other’s products, services or policies. LearnVest, Inc. is wholly owned by NM Planning, LLC, a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.